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Strong winds to cause widespread disruption as Met Éireann issues warning

By
Michael Malone
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Galway daily weather Met Eireann weather warning in force for Galway today

Met Éireann has issued a status yellow warning for wind ahead of a stormy day across Ireland.

Westerly winds will be very strong and gusty today, reaching storm force in some coastal areas.

Met Éireann says that falling trees, power outages and travel disruption are all possible due to the stormy conditions.

All counties in the Republic are affected by the warning which will be lifted at 2am on Friday morning.

There will be a mix of sunny spells and showers in Connacht today, with afternoon temperatures of 7 or 8 degrees.

President leads tributes to Galway poet Kevin Higgins

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news kevin higgins poet RIP

President Michael D. Higgins has led tributes to renowned Galway poet Kevin Higgins who died this week following a long illness.

President Higgins described the poet was brave and writing “right to the end.”

“Kevin was a poet who had read enormously widely of the work of poets writing in English, Irish and from different countries,” said President Higgins.

“His work includes that published by Salmon Poetry in collections such as ‘The Boy With No Face’, ‘Time Gentlemen, Please’, ‘Frightening New Furniture’, ‘The Ghost In The Lobby’ and ‘Sex and Death at Merlin Park Hospital’ – were valuable contemporary contributions that had a directness to it that was unsparing, but not at a cost of finely worked poems.”

He said that Kevin’s partnership with his partner in writing, Susan Millar DuMars, saw them both working together in a way hard to surpass in terms of making a contribution to the arts through writing.

“Indeed, I cannot think of anyone who did more to bring the public to appreciation and joy of poetry, to make the case for performed poetry, and who encouraged others to read broadly and, most of all, to make poems and find their meaning in their lives.

“He gave generously to so many through his poetry workshops, poetry slams and creative writing classes in Galway Arts Centre, GMIT and the University of Galway.”

President Higgins added: “His political beliefs were clearly in the family of the Left, but he didn’t shirk from identifying the gap between what was sought, and what he saw as the failure in efforts to deliver it in practice, for the benefit of all in a changed world.

“For those of us who have known him over the decades, there is nobody who would not agree that he was a charming presence and a great friend, guaranteed to never be dull.”

“His final pieces from hospital show a person of the deepest humanity, gifted with words and full of courage that he would wish for all to have for themselves. He will be missed by so many, far beyond Galway.

“May I send my deepest condolences to his great partner in words and their power, Susan, to his family, and to his wide circle of friends.”

Sponsorships for the 2023 Ice Hockey Championship

By
Thomas O'Brien
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Unlike world championships in other sports, the ice hockey one organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) gets held annually. It is the sport’s highest-profile tournament, with roots dating back to the 1920 Summer Olympics.

Though hockey gets primarily recognized as a seasonal activity with a relatively limited fanbase, established primarily in Canada, the United States, Finland, Sweden, and Russia, new research shows that its global appeal is rising.

In Canada, interest in the NHL surpassed the curiosity shown regarding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. And in the US, the NHL’s largest growing demographic is males from 18 to 34, an age group that is also most likely to bet online on games from the world’s premier hockey league.

Stanford Graduate School of Business recently released a study that notes that North American NFL fans are the most educated and affluent among the Continent’s four major leagues. And China, of all places, has begun implementing strategies for hockey development in regions like Heilongjiang and Beijing.

Thus, without question, the 2023 IIHF World Championship, held from May 12th to May 28th in Tampere, Finland, and Riga, Latvia, will generate previously unseen interest in the event.

The competition, initially scheduled to take place in Saint Petersburg, Russia, got moved to a new host nation after the International Olympic Committee called for Russia’s hosting rights to get taken away.

The IIHF obliged, and the organization opted to give this privilege to the duo of Lativa and Finland instead of accepting the rivaling co-hos bid put in by Hungary and Slovenia.

Below, the event’s main sponsors get presented along with their Ice Hockey Championship history.

Škoda

Škoda Auto, or Škoda for short, is a Czech automobile manufacturer that got founded by Václav Laurin & Václav Klement in the city of Mladá Boleslav.

In 1948, it became state-owned and got privatized to the Volkswagen Group in 1991. According to some statistics, the brand’s profit margins in the Volkswagen group are second only to Porsche.

Škoda’s history with the Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship is extensive, beginning in 1993 when this car manufacturer officially became the tournament’s chief sponsor.

It continues this tradition in the 2023 event, providing the organizers with a fleet off forty-five vehicles, including the electric ENYAQ iV, SUPERB iV, ENYAQ COUPÉ RS iV, and KODIAQ models.

Pirelli

Football fans globally likely know the multinational tire manufacturer from Milan from the kits of renowned Italian footie juggernaut Inter Milan.

The Pirelli logo proudly got plastered over the chest of every player that wore an Internazionale Milano jersey between 1995 and 2021. In 2017, Pirelli teamed up with the IHHF as a long-term partner of the Italian Winter Sports Federation. That collaboration has now persisted for six years.

As mentioned, Pirelli is no stranger to winter sports sponsorships, as it previously has worked with the Alpine World Ski Championship. And it has also branched off in key winter tire markets like Switzerland.

Tissot SA

Founded in Le Locle, Switzerland, in 1853, by the father-son duo of Charles-Félicien and Charles-Émile Tissot, Tissot is one of the most famous watch brands on the planet.

It is no stranger to sports partnerships as it is responsible for timing several high-end sporting competitions, including MotoGP, fencing, basketball (FIBA), cycling, and ice hockey. Of course.

Tissot has been the Official Timekeeper of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for over twenty years. As evidenced by recent press announcements, it has no intention of working with the IIHF any time soon.

LIQUI MOLY

European handball fans probably have seen the Liqui Moly logo on games from France’s Starligue and Germany’s Handball-Bundesliga.

But, the German company specializing in oils, lubricants, and additives also has notched a long track record of working in the hockey sphere, sponsoring the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Men’s Ice Hockey World Championships.

Liqui Moly’s partnership with the IIHF started in 2017 when the competition got organized in Germany and France. Seeing as the brand lists its primary markets as Scandinavia, North America, and Russia, it should be no surprise that it aims to have a dramatic presence in various winter sports.

Raiffeisenbank

Raiffeisenbank refers to a set of cooperative banks originating from the old Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen credit unions.

The group encompasses financial institutions in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Albania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and a few other countries.

Raiffeisenbank is another long standing sponsor of the Ice Hockey World Championship. And it was among the select group of companies that, in 2021, threatened to drop its support for this event if Belarus remained its 2021 co-host amidst then-happening human rights scandals in this country.

AJ Group

The AJ Group is a leading producer of office, school, and warehouse supplies. It features a catalog of more than fifteen thousand products and primarily deals with retailers as a business-to-business entity.

The AJ Group has existed for over four decades, employing over eight hundred people and distributing its products in nineteen countries.

Headquartered in Launceston, UK, an essential part of the AJ Group’s marketing strategy is to support local and international events.

A fun bit of trivia is that it has worked with the Ice Hockey World Championships since 1989. That means it has had an even longer relationship with this competition than Škoda Auto.

Nike

Nike is a clothing apparel brand that is one of the most globally famed designers and manufacturers of sports footwear and equipment.

It got founded in 1964, utilizing the name of the Greek goddess who personifies victory, focusing on premium athletic shoes. It ranks as a top one hundred US corporation going by total revenues, and its trademark phrase – Just Do It, entered the mainstream lexicon decades ago.

Nike has a storied past of providing equipment for junior ice hockey world championships. It has also long been the official partner of the United States and Canada’s international teams.

Though Nike recently suspended its Hockey Canada sponsorship over the Great White North’s federation’s poor handling of trending public sexual assault allegations. Thankfully, the company remains one of the big-name sponsors of the upcoming men’s world championship in Riga and Tampere.

Local TD urges public to utilise local injury unit in Roscommon

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news roscommon local injury unit hospital

Local TD Denis Naughten has urged the public to consider using the local injury unit at Roscommon University Hospital rather than waiting in overcrowded A&E departments like Portiuncula University Hospital.

The Independent TD urged patients to ask GPs if they can have tests or x-rays in Roscommon rather than spending hours in an emergency department waiting to see a doctor before accessing x-rays or scans.

Roscommon’s injury unit can treat broken bones, dislocations, sprains, strains, wounds, scalds and minor burns that are unlikely to need admission to hospital.

Staff there perform x-rays, reduce joint dislocations, apply plaster casts and treat wounds by stitches or other means.

“We need to better utilise Roscommon’s injury unit, which can provide for quick diagnosis and discharge back into the community and ensure that people do not have long stays for tests, as is the case in emergency departments,” said Deputy Naughten.

“The emergency departments at Portiuncula and Castlebar are at breaking point and with Roscommon’s injury unit just 30 minutes from Athlone, 40 minutes from Ballinasloe and 50 minutes from Claremorris, it would be far quicker for people to travel from these towns to Roscommon Hospital than go to Portiuncula or Castlebar, where they could be waiting all day to be seen.”

The Roscommon-Galway TD said that we need to take pressure off staff in Portiuncula and Castlebar, who are “working under completely unacceptable conditions”.

“Many injury units in hospitals like Roscommon have access to state-of-the-art diagnostics, in many cases the tests are read by the same consultants in the busier hospitals, but significantly, these units have much shorter waiting times than emergency departments.”

Documentary to tell inspirational story of Galway’s first bladerunner

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily enws galway para athlete alex lee

A Galway teacher whose leg was amputated following a football match in 2013 features in a fascinating new documentary series on TG4.

The second episode of Misneach, airing on Wednesday 18 January, tells the story of Alex Lee – an Irish and geography teacher at the Bish in Galway city.

On 13 March 2016 Alex Lee was playing for Mervue United in what he thought was just another match, but by the time the final whistle blew, his life had changed forever.

Alex suffered a broken leg and underwent 14 surgeries, leaving hospital in a wheelchair six weeks later after his right leg had been amputated below the knee.

In 2018, Alex began his journey as a para-athlete, and over the past six years he has learned how to walk, how to run and how to sprint.

Filmed over 18 months, this documentary captures the incredible story of how Alex Lee became Ireland’s first bladerunner.

Featuring a personal archive detailing much of Alex’s journey, this is a story about persistence, grit and a refusal to give up.

Honest, insightful and uplifting, this series also follows the stories of Travellers breaking boundaries in 3rd level education in Ireland and those returning to education after a prolonged period of time.

Misneach – Alex Lee, Wednesday 18 January 2023 at 9.30pm, TG4 & TG4 Player

University of Galway launches project to enhance women’s role in rural life

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news university of galway fliara project

University of Galway will lead a new research project running across 10 countries in Europe focusing on enhancing the role of women in agriculture and rural affairs.

The Horizon Europe project, FLIARA (Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) is being led at University of Galway by Associate Professor Maura Farrell.

The three-year project aims to combine futures and case study methods, alongside network building and policy benchmarking, while being underpinned by a co-created conceptual and assessment framework.

It will actively involve female farmers and female rural entrepreneurs.

Outlining the vision for the project, Professor Farrell said that to overcome Europe’s rural challenges and embrace potential opportunities, there is a need for all individuals and communities to participate in rural innovation.

“Traditionally, rural women’s employment opportunities and contribution to innovation has been overshadowed, and often suppressed, by a patriarchal ethos,” said Prof Farrell.

Researchers will also investigate women-led innovations on farms and in wider rural areas looking at their pathways in the innovation ecosystem.

Building on the power of social networks, a series of Community of Practice networks will bring together female rural innovators identified throughout the case study process.

Professor Farrell added: “Community of Practice Networks will occur in conjunction with a Campaign of Visibility for women-led rural innovations, spotlighting women as key innovation actors.

“Project outcomes will result in end-user ready resources, including policy proposals and practical tools supporting women-led innovation.”

Ireland’s smallest native mammal vanishing ATU study finds

By
Briain Kelly
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The Pygmy Shrew, Ireland’s smallest native mammal, is quickly and quietly vanishing from our landscape.

A study from scientists at ATU Galway has found that the Pygmy Shrew is being outcompeted for its insect food source by the invasive greater white-toothed shrew.

This invasive species, which first began arriving around 2007, is about three times larger than Ireland’s native shrew, and has begun swallowing up its food source.

“Invasive species are one of the leading causes of species extinctions globally, with over 80% of extinctions on islands being due to these invasions,” explains Dr Allan McDevitt of ATU Galway.

The mammal expert said that it was first thought that the addition of the greater white-toothed shrew might actually be beneficial, as a New food source for native birds of prey.

“However, it quickly became apparent that it was causing a problem for Ireland’s only shrew, the tiny pygmy shrew”.

“We discovered that the native pygmy shrew was disappearing in Ireland whenever it came into contact with the new invasive shrew.”

“We didn’t know how this was happening given that the two species normally live together in Europe.”

After investigating, researchers found that the invasive shrew starts off by eating larger insects.

But afterwards, it will move on to the smaller insects the pygmy shrew relies on to survive, leading to the native species being replaced.

“The pygmy shrew needs to eat more than its body weight in insects each day to survive,” states Dr McDevitt, who has been working on shrews in Ireland for 20 years.

“If this new shrew species is coming in and taking away its primary food sources, the pygmy shrew will struggle to live along side it.”

“We have found that the native pygmy shrew vanishes in as little as a year after first encountering the new species.”

There are also concerns that the invasive species is altering the makeup of Ireland’s insect communities, due to the large volume it consumes.

The invasive shrew is also increasingly known to occupy human dwellings, posing a growing pest problem.

New grandstand being built for University of Galway sports grounds

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news New grandstand being built for University of Galway sports grounds

University of Galway has been given the green light for a new grandstand at the college sports ground in Dangan.

The council has okayed plans for a covered seating stand measuring 3m wide x 3.4m high x 16m long.

The new spectator stand will be installed on the lower embankment on the southern side of the GAA pitch.

When completed, the grandstand will provide 48 additional seats for spectators at GAA games.

Planning permission for the development was granted by the city council with six conditions attached.

The council stipulated that the spectator stand must be removed within five years of the grant of planning permission, or within eight weeks of any work commencing on the N6 Galway City Ring Road.

The council had requested further information on the permanence of the stand after noting it was on the route of the Ring Road.

The university responded with confirmation that it would be built with modular steel framed units, which can be moved or removed as needed.

New weekly Lanzarote service flying from Knock Airport this summer

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily life & style New weekly Lanzarote service flying from Knock Airport this summer

A new weekly service to Lanzarote will be flying from Ireland West Airport at Knock this summer, for holidaymakers looking to avoid the Dublin rush.

Ryanair will be recommencing their Knock to Lanzarote service on March 28, as the popular route takes flight again for the first time since 2020.

Lanzarote had long been one of the most popular sun destinations from Ireland West Airport since the service began operating 2011.

Welcoming the news, Joe Gilmore, Managing Director at Ireland West Airport said, “This has been by far the moist requested service over the last couple of years and we are finally delighted to be able to welcome Lanzarote back to our route network for next summer.”

“This will no doubt be great news for holidaymakers who enjoy the unbeatable year round sun that Lanzarote has to offer and brings to seven, the number of sun destinations now available for our customers next summer.”

“We thank Ryanair for their continued support for the airport and their commitment to the West of Ireland region which is further evidenced by the record summer scheduled planned for summer 2023”.

Starting from March 28, the Lanzarote service will fly once a week, each Tuesday.

Ryanair’s Jade Kirwan said that this will be part of their biggest summer schedule yet at Knock, with other destinations including  Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Malaga, Milan and Palma Majorca.

Plans for massive extension of city centre hotel

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Plans for massive extension of city centre hotel

Planning permission is being sought from the city council for a massive extension to the Victoria Hotel in Galway City Centre.

An application has been made by Byrne Hotel Management to demolish the existing warehouse, restaurant and associated buildings next to the Victoria Hotel, which is located just south of Eyre Square.

In its place the developer intends to build a 10 to 11 storey extension to the existing hotel, which will add 109 additional guest bedrooms.

The new extension will also include a seating area and bars on the ground floor and first floor/mezzanine, along with another rooftop bar and lounge on the 10th floor.

Alterations will also be made to the premises of Victoria House on the same street to form part of the extended hotel, with new conference facilities.

A letter submitted with the planning application states that the Victoria Hotel is a boutique style venue, mainly for short stay guests who prize convenience.

“Most guests that visit Victoria Hotel arrive into Ceannt Station by train or bus, walk to the Victoria Hotel, check in, visit the bars then go out and wander the city centre”.

It added that there is a growing demand for short breaks in Galway, and that this hotel is ideally placed due to its location close to public transport and car parking options.

The existing Victoria Hotel is a six storey building, on Queen Street off Eyre Square, with 150 bed spaces and a bar/restaurant on the ground floor.

The owners have been steadily buying up the neighbouring properties on the street since 1999 with the goal of expanding the hotel.

“The design of the proposed development has sensitively incorporated the adjoining premises of Victoria House and the adjacent Archway Courtyard.”

“We propose connecting Victoria House to the main structure with a glass link corridor floating over the open cobblestone courtyard. This new public realm space will provide a breakout, outdoor lounge space.”

“To the rear of the development a pedestrian link corridor is planned from Ceannt Station which will lead directly into the mezzanine floor which connects to the reception lobby below.”

The letter goes on to state that the proposed rooftop bar and restaurant will provide a great viewpoint over the city, and that the modern extension will mesh well with the redevelopment of Ceannt Station.

A decision on this planning application is due from Galway City Council by February 21 of this year.

Power outages affecting hundreds of Galway homes this morning

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news More than 15,000 properties in Galway without power after Storm Ellen

Hundreds of homes in and around Athenry, Oranmore, and Kilcolgan are without power this morning, as multiple outages have been reported.

In Oranmore, two separate faults have left 188 premises without electricity.

Both of these are expected to he repaired before 11am this morning.

There are three power outages affecting the electricity supply to 161 homes and businesses in the Kilcolgan area.

Power is currently expected to be restored to all those affected premises by 11:15am at the latest.

And there are two faults reported bynthe ESB in the Athenry area, which have left 137 properties without power.

Both of these are expected to be repaired by 10:45am on Wednesday morning.

Galway is currently under a status yellow weather warning for heavy winds this morning.

Lasting until midday today, Met Eireann has said that gusts of up to 90-110km/hr could hammer the Atlantic coast this morning.

Wind Warning in effect as crappy day forecast for Galway

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily weather Wind Warning in effect as crappy day ahead for Galway

It’ll be a blustery start to the day in Galway, with a status yellow weather warning for heavy winds in place this morning.

Met Eireann has issued a wind warning for Galway, Clare, Cork, and Kerry on Wednesday morning.

This is now in effect, and will remain in force until midday on Wednesday.

During the morning, strong west to southwest winds will batter the west coast, with gusts of up to 90-110km/hr.

Winds will be strongest in coastal areas today, Met Eireann has forecast.

Isolated showers of hail and some thunderstorms are also likely in the morning, with a risk of hail into the mid afternoon.

Marine Gale warnings are also in effect today, with winds reaching gale force 8 on Wednesday, and increasing to strong gale force 9 in the evening on the west coast.

Aside from the wind, which is forecast to die down in the evening, scattered heavy rain showers are also expected throughout the day.

These will be mixed with some clearer spells, and even sunny skies at times. Highest temperatures on Wednesday of 6 – 9 degrees.

Peter Doran appointed director of clinical trials institute at University of Galway

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news peter doran professor galway
Prof Peter Doran. Photo: Martina Regan.

University of Galway has appointed Professor Peter Doran as the director of a new clinical trials institute.

This institute will transform the University’s ability to evaluate cutting-edge clinical treatments, medical diagnostics and preventative therapies.

Professor Peter Doran earned his BSc from DCU in 1998 and his PhD from UCD in 2001. He was the founding Director of the UCD Clinical Research Centre.

Under his leadership the UCD CRC has developed an internationally renowned clinical research programme which supports investigators to ask clinically impactful research questions in a quality assured, scientifically excellent and patient focused environment.

“The development of the clinical trials institute at the University of Galway will have impact locally, nationally and globally,” said Professor Doran.

“Our research programme will tackle the major health issues facing society today and into the future.

“By developing and growing linkages with our clinical partners in Saolta, with Community Health Organisation Area 2 and with industry we will ensure that today’s health research becomes tomorrow’s healthcare.

“We will leverage our current expertise and experience to ensure Galway is the national lead in clinical research.”

Professor Doran leads a significant biomarker research programme and has established a high throughput biomarker validation laboratory, which is contributing to major national and international end organ damage biomarker studies, reflecting his research interests in the molecular drivers of organ damage, biomarker discovery and translation to practice.

In addition, he established the graduate taught programme in clinical and translational research which includes a suite of programmes designed to address the career stage specific education and training requirements of clinical research personnel.

Professor Doran has also served as Associate Dean for Research at the UCD School of Medicine, Vice-Principal for Research at the UCD College of Health & Agricultural Science and Director of the Ireland East Hospital Group research network.

Six Galway communities supported to take biodiversity action

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news nui galway sustainability award

Plants and wildlife in six Galway communities are receiving support to implement Local Biodiversity Action Plans as part of a roll-out of grants to 70 communities across the country.

A unique project for Galway will be the development of a nature attraction to reflect the ethos and poetry of WB Yeats.

Other important actions include tackling invasive alien species and providing additional roosting sites and improved foraging areas for bats and owls.

Grants are being provided through a partnership between Community Foundation Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

The organisations have been matching private and public money to protect biodiversity since 2019 in a relationship which has been extended until 2024.

Galway communities set to benefit

The Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society (€5,000) for the development of a local sustainable attraction which benefits local biodiversity and reflects the poetry and ethos of WB Yeats.

Oranmore Tidy Towns (€4,460) to create a local biodiversity plan to protect and promote plants and wildlife.

Galway Telework Co-op (€4,675) to continue work with Mountbellew Development and Heritage Group and implement an existing biodiversity plan.

Creggs Rural Development (€5,000) the creation of a new village biodiversity plan.

Ballinderreen Tidy Towns (€5,000) to provide an accurate assessment and account of local plants and wildlife.

Airglonney Residents Association (€2,200) to identify local areas suitable for biodiversity action and work to increase awareness amongst local people.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan, TD said: “Communities are at the heart of biodiversity action, but they need the support of experts to guide them in doing the right things for nature.

“That’s why this collaboration between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Community Foundation Ireland is so impactful. It connects communities with ecologists to fund the development of evidence-based Local Biodiversity Action Plans, and then it funds the actions.

“Communities get the chance to work closely with ecologists and learn more about biodiversity in their local area. It’s an enormously valuable model, and one that I’d encourage everyone to consider when the next round of applications opens in 2023.”

Council votes to include 30km/h speed limits for schools in review

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news New 30km/h speed limit now in place for Galway City Centre

Community advocates for safer streets are pleased that a majority of Galway city councillors voted to include 30 km/h speed limits outside city schools as part of the city’s speed limit review.

At Monday’s council meeting, the Executive promised a full review of speed limits of all city and suburban roads by 2024.

Former mayor Cllr Colette Connolly’s motion to introduce 30 km/h speed limits in school zones was supported by representatives of Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, Labour, and independent councillor Mike Cubbard.

Kevin Jennings, chairperson of Galway Cycling Campaign, said that it was a wise decision, and thanked the nine councillors “who want to make school zones safer by cutting the speed limits.”

“The Road Safety Authority says the evidence is clear. If someone driving a car at 50 km/h hits a person walking, it’s 50:50 whether that person lives or dies,” said Mr Jennings.

“At 60 km/h, which doesn’t feel much faster when you’re driving, the survival rate is a grim 1-in-10. At 30 km/h, your chances of survival rise to 9-in-10.

“My children and their neighbourhood friends deserve to be as safe as possible going to and from school, and my parents should feel safe trying to cross the road.”

Martina Callanan, deputy chair of Galway Cycling Campaign, said that they have been advocating for lower urban speed limits for years, and they are glad our local representatives are following the science.

“The benefits for people not in motor vehicles are clear. There’s reduced risk of collisions and the horrendous risk of injuries and fatalities is also reduced,” she said.

“There’s also the knock-on effect that more people feel comfortable to leave the car in the driveway and walk or cycle short journeys.”

The community group also points out that the proposed 30 km/h inner city zone will enable the council to – quickly and cheaply – install more zebra and raised courtesy pedestrian crossings.

Ms Callanan added that the new pedestrian crossing with lights at Salthill’s Blackrock is very welcome.

But she said that it shows the huge amount of time and money it takes to install something so needed.

“If the Prom had a speed limit of 30 km/h, the council would have the freedom to scatter zebra crossings like confetti at multiple points between the diving tower and Grattan Road.”

Local craft & design businesses to attend major trade fair

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news showcase 2023 galway businesses
Kerry Quinlan of Sketchico is among the businesses that will represent Galway at Showcase in the RDS later this month. Pic Orla Murray/Coalesce

Some of Galway’s best up-and-coming craft and design businesses will meet with buyers from across the world at a major international trade fair in Dublin this month.

Over 100 Irish companies will be part of the Local Enterprise Showcase at the 2023 Showcase event in the RDS, running from 22 to 24 January.

LEO Galway will be represented at the event by Irish Sock Society, Wild Atlantic Wicks, Sketchico, Catherine Dunne, Martha Begley – Galway Fairytales, Orla Culligan Ceramics and Fiona Concannon.

The event will open its doors to thousands of buyers from across the world, including Ireland, the UK, USA, mainland Europe, Asia and Africa, generating millions of euros of sales orders during the show.

Showcase is presented on behalf of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, with support from Enterprise Ireland.

Rosemary Steen, CEO of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, said they are greatly looking forward to the return of the fair.

“Showcase offers designers and makers the opportunity to not only meet and do business with buyers from Ireland, the UK, USA, mainland Europe and Asia, but also the chance to come together to celebrate the creativity, the impact and the importance of the heritage of the Irish craft and design sector globally,” said Ms Steen.

“With restrictions linked to the pandemic due to be fully lifted for Showcase 2023, we look forward to even more buyer attendance this year.”

Local Enterprise Showcase is one of several enterprise initiatives run by the Local Enterprise Offices across the year to foster entrepreneurship and help small businesses to start and grow.

Other events include Local Enterprise Week, National Women’s Enterprise Day, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme and the Local Enterprise Village as part of the National Ploughing Championships.

Weather warning in effect with spot flooding possible

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news Weather warning for heavy wind and rain to hit Galway

A status yellow weather warning for rain is now in effect in Galway and six other counties in the south-west.

Met Éireann says spells of rain today will be heavy at times and could lead to spot flooding.

The warning began at 3am on Tuesday morning, and will remain in place until 3pm.

Also included in the status yellow warning are Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford.

Highest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees are forecast for today, and strong and gusty southerly winds will veer westerly later as the rain clears.

It will be cold and blustery tonight with clear spells and scattered showers, with the chance of isolated thunderstorms and hail.

Lowest temperatures will be between 2 and 6 degrees in fresh to strong west to south-west winds.

Galway punk legend in the running to represent Ireland at Eurovision

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily news punk johnny rotten sex pistols tuam eurovision 2023

Punk legend John Lydon is in the running to represent Ireland at the Eurovision this year with his current band, Public Image Limited.

Lydon, whose father John Christopher was from Tuam, hopes to go to this year’s song contest with a song called Hawaii, which is a love letter to his wife Nora who is living with Alzheimer’s.

Public Image Limited will perform the song in a Late Late Show contest special on 3 February.

Like his father, Lydon’s mother Eileen from Cork immigrated to north London, and the outspoken singer holds an Irish passport.

The band, often shortened to ‘PiL’, says that Hawaii is “a pensive, personal yet universal love song that will resonate with many.”

Better known as Johnny Rotten during his Sex Pistol days, Lydon wrote of being Irish in London in his autobiography Rotten – No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs.

He said that Londoners had “no choice but to accept the Irish” because there were so many, “and we do blend in better than the Jamaicans.”

“When I was very young and going to school, I remember bricks thrown at me by English parents. We were the Irish scum. But it’s fun being scum, too,” he wrote.

He also said: “When my parents came over from Ireland they became intrinsically working-class English. [I am] proper London working-class.”

The other contestants hoping to represent Ireland at this year’s Eurovision are Donegal soul singer Leila Jane with Wild, rap duo K Muni & ND with Down in the Rain, singer-songwriter ADGY with Too Good for Your Love, and CONNOLLY with Midnight Summer Night.

Ways to Optimize Route Planning for your Vehicle Fleet

By
Thomas O'Brien
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0

Planning the routes of your fleets can be one of the most challenging parts of the job. Lots of factors impact different routes, and fleet managers need to consider all of them before deciding where to send a driver.

Optimizing the process can make it less time-consuming, allowing you to focus on other activities at your business.

Keep an Eye on Driver Availability

Scheduling drivers according to their availability is one of the most important aspects of delivery management. Your dispatchers should understand when drivers are available and where they are at any given time.

One way you can keep an eye on where your drivers are is by using GPS fleet tracking tools. Tools that offer fleet tracking with GPS capabilities can help you manage drivers’ time in real-time.

Using route planning tools allows you to adjust schedules, allowing for better management and flexibility. The right tools allow dispatchers to optimize delivery schedules and switch up routes as needed.

Optimize Vehicle Usage

Before assigning any drivers to a specific route, look at each vehicle to see how much cargo space it has. This allows you to put that space to the best use.

When items are loaded, the ones that will be delivered first should be loaded last so they can be easily accessed. Try to group items together according to where they are going so it is easy to find them when the driver is at the destination.

If there are many destinations, make sure the driver knows what order to arrive at each of them. If the driver is picking up items, they should load them accordingly. This can make your business more ecofriendly over time by lowering emissions due to inefficient vehicle usage. 

Use Planning Software

It’s important to know how all the vehicles operate because this will help you optimize overall efficiency. It can be difficult to plan a route that has multiple stops, and there are many factors that may impact how effective this is.

Weather, traffic patterns, and when the delivery needs to be made will all play a role. Sometimes, using route planning software can be helpful because it can take all these factors into consideration right away.

It also allows you to learn how to handle financial stress by streamlining costs and reducing idle time. Software allows you to automate the planning process to ensure more efficient delivery windows.

Communicate with Your Customers

It can be hard to keep customers in the loop about the status of their deliveries. Using route management software gives you updates in real-time so your customers can learn about the status of their deliveries.

This ensures that delivery times are accurate and reflect any changes to the estimated arrival time. Communicating with customers can be time-consuming but automating this task can make it more efficient.

And automation also ensures that customers get any necessary information before planning their activities. Automation can also reduce the number of phone calls needed to the support team.

You can set up the software, so alerts are sent to the contact information you have for each customer, whether that is phone or email. It allows your support team to handle more pressing issues.

New Galway office for engineering consultancy EDC as growth continues

By
Michael Malone
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0
galway daily news EDC opens new galway office

Engineering consultancy EDC has announced the opening of a new office in Galway, which will become the company’s fourth office in Ireland.

The new office, located at Ballybrit, will be headed by Gerard Kirwan, Associate Director at EDC.

Over the past two years, the consultancy has experienced impressive growth, expanding its team to 100 people across six offices in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, London, Istanbul and now Galway.

This growth is reflected in EDC’s increased market share in Ireland and the UK, with staff numbers doubling from the start of 2021 to the end of 2022.

This trend is expected to continue, with an additional 25% increase in staff numbers by the end of 2023.

Commenting on the opening of the Galway office and the company’s continued growth, Richard O’Farrell, Managing Director of EDC, said: “As EDC celebrates 20 years in business in 2023, this expansion into Galway is another exciting step forward for the company, and sets the foundation for future growth across Ireland and beyond.”

He said that the expansion is testament to the incredible work the whole team delivers, and “this is driving us forward to realise new opportunities.”

O’Farrell said that the move into Galway aligns with the EDC’s growth strategy, which in recent years has also included the opening of a Limerick office to service the Mid-West of Ireland.

Gerard Kirwan, Associate Director at EDC, said that he is proud to head up EDC’s fourth Irish office.

“The decision to open an office in Galway strengthens our delivery capabilities and increases our ability to service our current and future clients and sectors.”

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